


Foiled Again

by QueenofLit



Category: Adam (2009), Charlie Countryman (2013)
Genre: #SpacedogsSummer, Beth's pov, M/M, Podfic Welcome, just a little drabble, sunshine and roses for the spacedogs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2016-07-04
Packaged: 2018-07-21 13:31:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7388956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenofLit/pseuds/QueenofLit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Today was the day. Beth was going to ask Adam out. He was sweet, and kind, and nothing like her last boyfriends (which was honestly a good thing). It would be hard, sure, but good. They could make it work. </p><p>She just wasn't prepared for the smoking, shirtless prison thug who opened the door instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Foiled Again

**Author's Note:**

> If Beth comes off a little disgusting and bitchy with a side of ableism, that's because that's how she came off to me in the movie. I haven't forgiven her for that suck-ass ending (likely never will) and took great pleasure in Nigel showing up to cock block her. 
> 
> Written for #SpacedogsSummer over on tumblr. Go check out the rest of the stuff - it's amazing!

Beth took a deep breath in order to ruck up her courage. So what if Adam wasn’t like the other men she’d dated - that was a good thing, in her case. Adam was odd, yes, and it would be a challenge, but he was sweet and kind and would never hurt her intentionally. This was good for her - and she could be good for him. They could make it work. 

And so Beth raised her hand and, early on a saturday because she knew Adam got up earlier than she did, she knocked. 

Beth was fully prepared to ask a sweater-wearing, blue eyed Adam out for coffee. She was not prepared for a tall man in low-sitting sweatpants and a heavily scarred torso to lean in the now-open doorway with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Not in the slightest. The man was frightening, and she was ninety percent certain those were prison tattoos. 

“What the fuck do you want?” the man asked in a grave, rumbly voice. 

Beth very nearly took a step back. “Where’s Adam?” she questioned, suddenly certain something awful had happened. Either that or the man was using Adam’s disability to manipulate him. How would Adam ever know? It’s not like he could tell. 

“Sleeping,” the man replied, blowing the smoke from his cigarette rudely into her face. “Who the fuck’re you?”

“I’m his friend,” Beth retorted, refusing to back down. She wouldn’t let this asshole get away with this. “Who are you supposed to be?”

The stranger gave her a look-over, as if that would tell him all he needed to know. Beth did her best not to bristle with indignation. With a smirk he finally replied, “I’m his boyfriend.” 

Beth’s mouth dropped open. 

“Darlin’!” the man hollered over his shoulder. “Got a friend at the door! You up for visitors?” 

“Where’d my pants go?” was Adam’s quieter reply. 

“They’re under the dresser, hang on a sec.” The stranger turned back to her. “You can fucking wait in the kitchen. And shut the damn door behind ya, yeah?” 

Beth was still bristling, but did as she was told. The man left, presumably to help Adam find his things, and Beth sat at the kitchen table wondering what she could possibly do to get Adam out of this. The man must be using her friend, she just knew it, but why? To hide out from the cops? Free rent? What? 

“I wasn’t expecting you today.”

Beth turned around to smile at Adam, banishing her worry from her face. He looked healthy, at least, with his simple jeans and fuzzy sweater and beautiful curls. But now she wondered why she’d never seen the man in short sleeves and felt her stomach turn sour. “I was heading out for brunch and wondered if you wanted to come with me,” Beth said instead. “It’s a beautiful day and we’re both off so I figured, why not?”

Adam blinked at her. “Off what?”

Right. Explain fully. “I meant we don’t have to go to work today.” 

Adam gave a small ‘oh’ and thought a minute. “That was very thoughtful, but I’m not sure-”

“Why the fuck not?” the man in question replied as he joined them, slinging an arm around Adam’s shoulders. “She’s right, it is a nice day for once.” 

Adam started to look tense about the eyes. It was the onset of panic, she knew. Beth started trying to figure out if she had enough time to grab the closest weapon - the frying pan - before this Nigel character reacted. “Our deviation isn’t for another two days,” he protested. 

“So make this the fucking deviation, and we’ll just fucking stay home Tuesday and watch that damn program of yours that’s always on.” Nigel suggested with a shrug. 

Adam lost all tension so quickly Beth blinked and missed it. He smiled up at Nigel, beaming really, and said, “Thank you. I love you.” 

Nigel smiled at that and... and he actually turned soft for a moment. Like Adam was a treasure and he fully knew the worth of what he had and that he was damn lucky to have it. “I fucking love you too, gorgeous. And your friends are important to you, so we’ll go to fucking brunch.” 

Beth had never before seen someone actually look like they were over the moon with joy. It was the only phrase that fit Adam’s current expression. He turned back to her even as he leaned more fully into Nigel’s one-armed embrace. “Where are we going?” 

Beth blinked but managed to get it together. “There’s a great place about a block from here. You ready?” she gave a pointed look to Nigel’s still bare chest.

Nigel looked down at himself and sighed. “Let me fucking throw on a shirt, hold your fucking horses.” He leaned down to kiss Adam on the head and then headed back to the bedroom. 

Beth waited until he was out of earshot to zero in on Adam. “Are you okay? Do you need any help? Because I can get you out of here in a minute if you do.”

She’d hoped Adam was willing to trust her. He just looked slightly confused, however. “I realize people normally think he’s hurting me,” Adam stated. “Harlan made the same assumption. But Nigel is my boyfriend - he wouldn’t hurt me. He isn’t using me. He’s nice.”

Beth highly doubted that. “Okay, Adam, but my offer still stands, okay?” She would be keeping an eye out, and not just because this random thug had managed to steal her potential boyfriend. 

Adam sighed and looked like he didn’t understand why she didn’t believe him. He probably didn’t, poor thing. 

Beth decided to move on before Adam looked even sadder. It was always a distressing sight to see. "What's the deviation you were talking about?"

Adam started fiddling with the hem of his sweater. "I have a routine - Nigel doesn't. It was an issue so I brought it up. Instead of breaking up with me, Nigel said he'd adhere to my schedule if I allowed us one deviation from the routine a week. Usually we go take walks someplace interesting, or Nigel takes me to the observatory, or we have coffee and cake at a cafe in the evening. It's nice," Adam replied with a wistful smile. 

Beth thought Nigel wasn't trying hard enough, or had other reasons for wanting to be able to predict where Adam was all the time. The boy needed to get out more, live a little - not just be allowed to sit in his own apartment all day. They were in their twenties, they should be having adventures! 

Nigel came back out then, wearing some dark jeans, boots, and a button-up shirt with planets all over it. Adam lit up at the sight of it, saying, “That’s the shirt I gave you!” 

Nigel smiled. “It is. And I brushed and all that other fucking stuff I gotta do in the morning for you to handle my taste.” Nigel reached out a hand and Adam took it, stepping closer to lean in for a kiss. Beth assumed he had gotten rid of morning breath and the cigarette taste, and so was expecting a show. But Nigel just pressed his lips softly to Adam’s for a beat of time and then pulled away. 

Obviously Beth was not going to get anywhere by trying to predict this man. So she led them to brunch. Nigel joined her in getting coffee, and ordered for both himself and Adam. He got a combo but for Adam told the waitress to just bring some grilled chicken, nothing else, and Adam looked happy. Beth had been about to suggest Adam try the waffles, but almost as if he could sense the train of her thoughts Nigel immediately glared at her. 

Beth shut her mouth with an audible clack. She’d never been more terrified in her life. 

So Beth made conversation, trading work stories with Adam as Nigel sipped his espresso. It became more and more puzzling as the meal went on. What was his angle? Why was he doing this? 

But he looked so soft when he stared at Adam, so lost when Adam smiled. It seemed Nigel’s whole aura changed when the shorter man laughed. 

.... Could he, possibly, be in love?

Nah.

Beth had the initial doubt, but couldn’t help second guessing that conclusion as she joined the two of them for a walk in the park. Nigel was simply strolling along in silence, smoking yet again as he held Adam’s hand. Beth listened patiently as Adam rambled about whatever new space news had excited him this time.   
While Beth let it all wash over her, Nigel interjected, “Wait a minute. I thought last time you said that program was closed?”

As Beth tried to puzzle out what program (she admittedly hadn’t been listening that closely) Adam answered. “Congress was going to close it. But there was a petition, and a hearing, and enough support to stop that from happening. Um, I believe the senators from...”

Aaaand he lost her again. But Nigel appeared to hear every word Adam said, nodding along and asking questions when confused and zeroing in his entire focus on Adam. It was oddly compelling to see. 

And then, midway through the count of the vote that was needed to save whatever program Adam was talking about, Adam paused and turned to her. “I’m sorry, Beth. I’m going to go home and have sex with Nigel. I get very sexually excited when he has his entire focus on me.” 

Beth’s jaw dropped again, but she had little chance to say anything as at that moment, Nigel wrapped a hand around Adam’s waist and began to drag him off. “Sounds fucking good to me babe. Let’s go.” 

“Do you want to top or bottom?” Adam asked as he willingly went with his taller boyfriend’s urging. 

“Bottom, definitely,” was Nigel’s reply. 

“Good. I wanted you to say that.” 

Beth stared at their retreating figures in shock for so long she actually caught a fly in her open mouth. Ugh.


End file.
